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FREMONT - Saying he was "troubled" by a Fremont woman's role in the theft of $220,000 from the local VFW, a judge on Monday increased the penalty agreed to in a plea deal and sentenced her to a year in prison and $175,000 in restitution.

Jodi Martin, 42, who pleaded guilty to theft charges on March 10, had been expecting a 60-day stay in the Sandusky County Jail but was unexpectedly sentenced on Monday to a year in prison by Sandusky County Common Pleas Court Judge John Dewey.

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Jodi Martin awaits her sentencing Monday after pleading guilty to stealing more than $220,000 with Andrea Valdez from the Fremont VFW.
Craig Schwartz, the post's quartermaster, sat behind Martin in the Sandusky County Common Pleas Courtroom.(Photo: Craig Shoup/The News-Messenger)

Sandusky County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Mulligan said the state had sought 60 days in jail as part of Martin's plea deal, but Dewey said he was "troubled" and "offended" by Martin's actions and decided to increase the punishment, sending Martin to prison as well as ordering her to pay $175,000 in restitution to the Fremont VFW.

"I am not a member of the VFW, and I didn't serve in the military, but I am personally offended myself at this amount of money that comes up missing," Dewey said before sentencing Martin, who showed no emotion during the proceedings.

Craig Schwartz, the Fremont VFW quartermaster since 1999, said in a statement to the court before Monday's sentencing that Valdez and Martin took thousands of dollars away that would have gone to community Little League sponsorships and scholarships for local graduating seniors.

"It's going to be tough to get that money back," Schwartz said of the restitution. "But justice was served today."

In Schwartz's address to the court, he said Martin and Valdez would come into monthly VFW meetings and state that "everything was great."

"She took this money from the time that she worked there to the time she left," Schwartz said. "She stole money from veterans, from their families, and the youth of the community because it stopped us from donating to youth sports teams."

Andrea Valdez(Photo: Submitted)

Valdez was found guilty by a Sandusky County jury May 2 and was immediately sentenced to 18 months in prison by Dewey.

As part of her sentencing, Valdez was ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution to the VFW and will be placed on three years of probation after her release from prison.

Both women had been managers at the post but quit their jobs before the investigation began in 2014, according to VFW officials.

Following the theft, VFW Post Commander Terry Stanforth said a new system of checks and balances was put in the place to ensure monies would not be stolen or misplaced.

Upon her release from prison, Martin will be placed on probation for three years.

Martin has 30 days to appeal her sentencing.

State law allows gambling at posts if a portion of the proceeds is donated to local nonprofits groups, such as the city&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s little league teams and annual scholarships awarded to area students.cshoup@gannett.com